ASOS Design x Laquan Smith Is All About Celebrating the Body

If you haven't heard the name Laquan Smith yet, chances are you've seen his work before. Perhaps when scrolling through Instagram, you came across Kendall Jenner posing in the brand's irresistible high-slit, wool skirt. Or maybe you caught a glimpse of Beyoncé on the red carpet in Laquan's glittering vertical-stripe mini dress. Or even more probable, it was Kim Kardashian's turn on the red carpet in a see-through, netted black gown that introduced you to the designer. I first encountered him years ago at a nightclub in New York City, when I couldn't help but ask about his metallic cut-out leggings. Months later, those same leggings would end up on Lady Gaga and shortly after, Rihanna would wear the matching jumpsuit in her Rude Boy video. Laquan would go on to become a New York Fashion Week staple, with supermodels like Winnie Harlow closing his runway shows.

Though the Queens-bred designer is a favorite of today's most ubiquitous celebrities, he doesn't only want to dress Hollywood stars. "It's not just about celebrities," he tells Teen Vogue in his Long Island City showroom. "The Laquan Smith philosophy is to make every shopper feel like a celebrity: it's all about confidence and attitude." With the goal of appealing to the everyday shopper in mind, Laquan designed his first collaboration with ASOS, launching on November 1.

The collection offers a fresh take on Laquan Smith's greatest hits over the years: the off-shoulder puffer dress, vertical-striped legging shorts, and crystal mesh bomber are all reminiscent of his earlier runway collections. "Everyone that knows me knows that I love transparency, and I love these sort of gauzy mesh fabrics that snatch you in," he explained, holding up an embellished, mesh top. "So, it was about bringing on these Laquan Smith elements and giving it to the ASOS consumer in a way that's affordable."

Laquan admits that it's not easy to offer a luxury aesthetic at an affordable price point without skimping on quality. But having the ASOS team's support helped him achieve a happy medium. "It was really great how we came together and sourced fabrics and offered it in other variations that sort of look similar and spoke the same language without breaking the bank," he explained.

Indeed the Laquan Smith and ASOS brands have great synergy, particularly when it comes to dressing people of different sizes. The collection ranges from size 2 to 28, and the curve offerings include a leopard bodysuit and a vertical-striped body-con number, much like Beyoncé's. "I'm always talking about celebrating the body," says Laquan. "And the curve offerings were very important to me, because I grew up with a house full of women that are very curvaceous and I thought that was just an important factor to have."

One of the most compelling images from the lookbook is a shot of a plus-size model in a latex off-shoulder dress, her belly rolls on full display. Laquan recalls seeing that model — Lovisa Lager — at the casting and being "inspired" by her "b*tchy kind of attitude." When the pictures came in, he chose to forgo retouching. "It's not about hiding her curves or hiding her rolls. It's about accentuating the waist points and the hips and celebrating her body. That is what we wanted to portray."

Though brands are finally starting to acknowledge the plus-size market, curvy shoppers are still underserved, says Laquan. At New York Fashion Week, our columnist Shammara Lawrence noticed that many of the plus-size models were dressed in clothing that obscured their shape. Laquan Smith seems to agree. "What's unfortunate in the plus size market is that the offerings are just not as cool as trendy or as daring. I feel like they are a little bit more modest. And why is that plus size clothing always has to be animal print or leopard? Why can't she wear PVC? Why can't she wear crystals? Why can't she wear beadwork? For me, it was just about pushing the envelope in ways that the plus size womenswear market hasn't really done."

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Alongside that spectacular latex dress, ASOS Design x Laquan Smith offers outerwear, pant sets, and hoodies — marking a new direction for the designer. "When I'm designing the Laquan Smith collection, it's very straightforward: dresses, dresses, dresses all day long," he shares. "But with ASOS it was great to have jackets, outerwear, tops, bottoms, shoes, glasses, bags, hoodies; it was great to think of the Laquan Smith [shopper] like what are they wearing on their way to airport, to a meeting, a cocktail party, a gala?"

Though he's expanding his repertoire with this collection, he insists he's not abandoning the brand aesthetic I fell in love with the minute I saw those cut-out leggings. "It's still very much classic Laquan," he says. "If you are inspired by night life, if you're inspired by this idea of being confident and fun and sexy, then this is going to be a collection that appeals to you."

This latex, off-shoulder dress is just begging to be worn to your next holiday party. It's a show-stopper that needs minimal accessories: think simple jewelry, lace-up pumps, and a sleek metallic clutch. For added drama, throw on a pair of leopard print boots.

Durags are nothing new — they've long been a staple in my household — but this design is a favorite. I love the glamorous embellishments and intricate netting. Go casual with a t-shirt and jeans, or dress it up with a sequin gown a lá Solange and Rihanna on the red carpet.

This isn't just any plaid shirt: Laquan's oversize top mixes various color schemes together for a look that truly stands out. The styling options for this piece are endless. Wear it open with a t-shirt and jeans underneath, wrap it around your waist for a laidback '90s vibe, or go monochrome with the matching pants.

Channel Beyoncé in this bodycon dress with Laquan's signature glitter stripes. This piece pairs well with black ankle boots and oversize silver hoops. I'll wear mine with an oversize coat for a bold contrast.

I was on the fence about camo before I saw Laquan Smith's off-shoulder mini. Styled with the matching padded OTK boots and long puffer coat, it's a bold take on the monochromatic trend. Accessorize with simple jewelry and a lot of attitude.